James p



(No Model.)

' J. P. KELLY.

No. 520,738. Patented May 29, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES P. KELLY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,738, dated May 29, 1894.

Application filed February 12, 1894. Serial No- 499,886- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES P. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Ken tucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Axes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the construction of axes, and has for its object to give to the blade such construction, both in longitudinal and cross section, as to secure the greatest amount of efficiency by not only relieving the surface of the ax from any undue friction but at the same time furnishing a ridge which acts as a fulcrum upon which to rock the ax in relieving and'withdrawing it from the bite of the wood. I

With this object in view my invention consists of an ax in which the blade isof practically uniform thickness and in straight lines from the ridge of the cutting edge to the eye, and of convex form across or from one edge to the other, as will be hereinafter fully described.

In order that those skilled may fully understand my invention I will proceed to describe the same, referring by letters of reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2a rear elevation or edge view; Fig. 3 a cross section on the line 00, m, of Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 4. a similar section on the line y, y, of Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar letters of reference denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A represents the head of the ax and B the cutting edge. The head is of the usual form and the edges of the blade flare or curve, out- 'Wardly, as indicated, to give a graceful appearance and to secure a comparatively broad cutting edge.

The line C indicates the ridge or thickest portion of the cutting edge, and from said line to or approximating the eye, as indicated at D, (Fig. 1) the blade is of practically uniform thickness, or in other words the two sides or faces of the ax are in parallelism, and the blade in a transverse direction is convex from edge to edge, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, thus forming a central longitudinal ridge which acts as a fulcrum upon which the ax may be rocked to relieve it from the bite of the Wood.

By this construction the ax is made much easier to keep in cutting condition, the heel and toe requiring but little grinding to keep in proper condition and the remainder of the blade being of uniform thickness from the ridge of the bit to the eye also requires much less grinding than is necessary in an ax having a tapering or wedge shape.

I am aware that axes have been made in which the blade from the cutting. ridge toward the eye is concave on both sides and convex transversely.

I am also aware that they have been made with the blade of uniform thickness from the cutting ridge to the eye and flat transversely,

and I do not wish to be understood as claiming any such construction.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

An ax having on each side a convex form extending from edge to edge, and having its opposite faces in substantial parallelism from the ridge' of the cutting edge to the eye, as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\ JAMES P. KELLY;

Witnesses:

G. L. REVENAUGH, CHAS. WARREN. 

